Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  Soisín by Kíla


Soisín cover art

Artist: Kíla
Title: Soisín
Catalogue Number: Kila KRCD014
Review Format: CD
Release Year: 2010



In “Soisín”, Irish world music explorers Kíla have created an extremely interesting “concept album”. Based on one Irish woman’s story of leaving her native Dublin to join a Japanese Buddhist monastery, this album gives us ten tracks of gentle sounds of the Orient, while maintaining an unspoken yet profound Irish lilt. “Soisín” is, after all, fully instrumental.

While lacking the tempo of earlier releases, there’s a certain Asiatic beauty to take in, beginning with “The Kissing Gate”. This, surely, is music to relax to. On “The Derry Tune” and “The Bearna Waltz”, we hear the more familiar sounds of traditional Irish music with some nice use of the fiddle. Tibetan bells, too, adding to the intrigue.

Indeed, Kíla’s strengths lie not only in their knowledge of foreign instruments but also in their collective ability to use said instruments to create landscapes in the head of the listener. The fact that this is accomplished without words makes it all the more spectacular. A well-honed craft from a group who truly merit the title of “artists”.

The title track is taken from the name “Soshin”, which was given to Maire O’Halloran upon her acceptance of the Buddhist faith. Indeed, the song itself seems akin to the blossoming of a flower - a lotus flower, perhaps? Beautiful, vivid music.

To the best of my understanding, the album’s closing track, “Chun na Farraige Sios”, relates to the sea. With only a fiddle besides, this brief, sombre finale would again appear to be symbolic, leaving the listener hoping hopelessly for more.
 “Soisín” is a fine release from a band that has broken down boundaries of world music. If politicians could do with words what Kíla do with music, the world would be a hell of a lot prettier. If you like world music, this is for you. If you’re unsure if you like world music, this is also for you.
 


www.kila.ie
Reviewer:
Review Date: October 10 2010